tropopause

[trō′pə pôz′, träp′ə-]

noun

an atmospheric transition zone or shell located between the troposphere and the stratosphere at an altitude of c. 10 to 20 km (c. 6 to 12 mi), in which temperatures and atmospheric stability begin to increase with increasing altitude

Origin of tropopause

tropo(sphere) + pause

tropopause

noun

The boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere varying in altitude from approximately 8 kilometers (5 miles) at the poles to approximately 18 kilometers (11 miles) at the equator.